


Queen of Everything (modern zukka au)

by beifongbltch



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drag Queens, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:21:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25104616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beifongbltch/pseuds/beifongbltch
Summary: Working at the Jasmine Dragon was never necessarily a dream for Zuko. Who gets a bachelor’s in Chemistry to mix drinks at a gay bar? Probably not many people.  The customers were unbearable, the music was shitty, and the drag queens--ugh, the drag queens were horrendous.  Zuko would’ve rather done anything else, the issue was that there really wasn’t anything else to do and there were bills to pay. That is, until he meets Buma Rang.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 259





	Queen of Everything (modern zukka au)

Working at the Jasmine Dragon was never necessarily a dream for Zuko. Who gets a bachelor’s in Chemistry to mix drinks at a gay bar? Probably not many people. The customers were unbearable, the music was shitty, and the drag queens--ugh, the drag queens were horrendous. Zuko would’ve rather done anything else, the issue was that there really wasn’t anything else to do and there were bills to pay. 

“This has got to be the worst job in the city,” Zuko grumbled to his equally unenthused coworker Mai.

“You’d rather be a garbageman?” she rolled her eyes, picking up a glass to clean.

“I’m sure that would be better than watching Jade Teabag forget the words to her song for the hundredth time,” Zuko started wiping down the bar, already envisioning the mess that would be there in a few hours. “At least garbagemen get benefits.”

Mai laughed a little. “You hate the queens here so much.”

That wasn’t an unfair assessment. Zuko, first and foremost, thought drag was ridiculous. He found the entire concept of a man dressing up as a woman and dancing obscenely to a bad pop song to be stupid. Second, the regular performers at the Jasmine Dragon weren’t even good. Not all of them were incredibly ugly--though most could stand to improve--but their acts were, in Zuko’s opinion, terrible. Every night someone had a costume malfunction, forgot their words, got too drunk and fell off the stage, or almost broke a bone trying to do some stunt.

“They suck,” Zuko simplified his thoughts.

“I sort of like them,” Mai leaned against the counter. “They sure make me feel better about myself.”

Bar-goers began to pour in, grossly under-tipping Zuko and managing to spill alcohol everywhere before the show had even started. But in regards to the night overall, before the show was always Zuko’s favorite part--or at least the part that was less horrible than the rest.

The show started as it usually did. The host, Lotus Tyle (Zuko never understood that name) came on stage screaming and asking if everyone was ready to get fucked up tonight. Of course, everyone was. The first queen came on stage doing some trashy techno-pop song from the 80s in a costume that looked like it cost all of five dollars. Zuko wondered how no one ever had enough to tip the bartender, but there was always cash thrown across the floor for the drag queens. Three more queens came and did equally trashy songs in equally cheap outfits, seemingly all competing for who could be the trashiest and the cheapest there.

Zuko thought that maybe the performers could redeem themselves if they actually performed, but their lipsyncing skills overall left something to be desired.

“Our final performer of the night is a new face here at the Jasmine Dragon,” Lotus Tyle yelled into the microphone.

New performer, this should be good.

“Five bucks if she falls,” Zuko wagered against Mai.

“Five bucks if her wig comes off,” Mai wagered back.

“Ladies and gentlemen please welcome to the stage: Miss Buma Rang!” Lotus Tyle ran off stage as the audience screamed encouragement for the new performer.

Zuko thought about all of the possibilities for this looming trainwreck. Probably a wig that looks like a helmet, shoes that the queen can’t walk in, a horrifying outfit from the nearest department store, and, if everyone was lucky, a horrific attempt at the splits.

But the ridiculously named newbie came on stage and proved Zuko wrong. Buma Rang had a long brown wig done up in a high ponytail and it looked expensive. Her facial features were chiseled and angular but her incredible makeup made her look so exquisitely feminine. Zuko was breath taken: a queen performing at the Dragon was actually attractive. He didn’t even have time to digest each part of Buma Rang’s stunning appearance before her song started. It was a mix of a popular song with added reverb and effects and it, surprisingly, wasn’t awful.

Zuko watched in awe, taking in every part of the queen, and the performance. From the strappy, bondage-inspired one-piece, to the white fingerless gloves, and the knee-high boots with grossly tall heels, all over an incredibly muscular body, Zuko was entranced. Most of the queens he’d seen spared no expense on voluptuous, disgustingly large padding. But this one was different. Buma Rang embraced her beautifully toned arms and chiseled abs. Her ass was even so perfect that Zuko couldn’t tell if it was real. 

And not only was she gorgeous, but Buma Rang also gave a show. She mouthed every word with such precision, Zuko felt like she was piercing straight through him. She pulled out all of the stops, too. Spinning, dipping, and dancing through each line. Zuko was enthralled by the performance in front of him, even ignoring drink orders that were being shouted at him. This was incredible. 

Buma Rang jumped into the splits flawlessly, leaving Zuko and the rest of the audience gasping for air. Zuko’s mind went completely blank as he let himself be pulled into this performance. For a second he even thought, this might actually be good.

The number finished and Zuko was left standing in shock. Mai stood behind him, laughing to herself.

“I can’t believe it. You actually enjoyed that.”

“W-what. No, I didn’t!” Zuko yelled as he turned toward the wall, pretending to clean the shelves.

“Admit it. You liked boomerang, or whatever’s performance,” Mai gave Zuko a nudge.

“It’s just...Well, she wasn’t as horrible as the others.”

Obviously, Zuko was lying. There was something so intriguing about Buma Rang that Zuko just had to know more. And that body was a plus if there ever was one. Looking around the bar, so many people had cleared out that Zuko thought this might be his chance.

“Um...I’m going to the bathroom,” he told Mai before walking as quickly as possible to the door leading to the dressing room.

Zuko had been working here for almost a year and had never been backstage before. Like the rest of the Dragon, it was disgusting.

But there she was, in all six-foot-something of her glory. Her back was to the door as she sat talking and laughing with one of the other queens. Her muscles were more wonderfully defined in person. She glanced towards the mirror and saw Zuko awkwardly hunching over in the doorway.

“Oh, sweetie, are you lost?” her uncharacteristically deep voice asked.

Zuko chucked to himself, blushing. “A-actually, I’m the bartender.”

“Hot,” Buma Rang laughed, followed by the other queen in the room sighing with disgust and leaving.

Buma Rang gestured to the now-empty chair. Zuko cautiously walked over and lowered himself into it, as if he was asking permission.

“I’m…” Zuko found himself getting lost in the perfect blue eyes of the person across from him.

“Yes?” Buma Rang questioned, smiling warmly at the bumbling bartender.

“Um...You know what, forget it,” Zuko stood up. “It’s not important.” 

“Wait,” the drag queen reached out and gently grabbed Zuko’s arm, sending a shock through his entire body. “If it was important enough for you to come back here, then it’s important enough to say out loud.”

Zuko’s knees felt weak. He felt such a strong attraction to this person, and he didn’t even know what they actually looked like. His mind was both completely blank and racing with thoughts. He sunk back into the chair, trying to gain some composure.

“You were great,” is all he was able to say.

“Of course I was,” the queen laughed. “I’m the Inuit pop princess of drag. I’m perfect!”

“Well...Yeah. But I mean,” Zuko was not doing so well.

“My god, honey. Are you alright?” Buma Rang leaned forward in her chair and placed a hand on Zuko’s knee.

“I’m Zuko!” he blurted.

“Well, Zuko,” the queen smiled. “I’m Buma Rang. You can call me Sokka, though. Hey, do you mind if I get out of drag?”

Zuko was in no position to say no, or anything for the matter. He was also very curious as to how this person would look out of drag. He watched intently as Buma Rang began removing the wig and lashes, revealing Sokka underneath.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Sokka began wiping away his makeup. “You needed something?”

“No,” Zuko confessed. “Actually I...Well, I came back here because you did so well. Um…”

He paused for a moment. “I’ve been working here for a while and no one has ever been so good. I mean, the drag queens are usually my least favorite part of the job. But you were so great. I just couldn’t look away and...Can I make you a drink?”

Sokka stopped and looked at Zuko in the mirror, smirking with delight. “You’re cute. Sure, make me a drink.”

“Alright,” Zuko blushed. “You can just meet me at the bar whenever you’re...Whenever you’re ready.” He started for the door.

“Wait!” Sokka turned around. “Can you unzip this for me?”

Zuko walked back out to the bar, where Mai was standing ready to make fun of her coworker. Before she even had the chance, Zuko told her he’d close, which Mai would never object to. After she left, Zuko started on the drink for his newfound crush, and of course one for himself.

When Sokka was finally de-dragged and ready for his drink, Zuko was cleaning the bar countertops with rapt attention. Zuko turned and slid one of his drinks across the bar to the spot where Sokka would sit.

“What is this?” he asked.

“You have to guess,” Zuko smiled.

“Hmm…” Sokka took a long sip. “Well, I can’t really tell. Something fancy. Lemon? Orange?”

Zuko laughed, “It’s a simple Negroni, nothing fancy.”

“Well it’s damn good, Mr. Bartender.”

Zuko began cleaning the counter again, hoping Sokka would prove to be talkative and fill the silence.

“So, you aren’t a big fan of drag?” Sokka finally spoke.

“It’s not that-” Zuko filled with embarrassment. “Yeah, I guess I’m just not that into it.”

“How?” Sokka challenged. “Drag is like, the coolest thing in the world. What’s not to like?”

“The only drag I’ve ever seen has been here,” the bartender admitted. “And aside from you, no one here is necessarily good. Or even fun to watch. I guess I’ve just never understood it, you know? I mean, what’s the point of dancing around in a wig?”

“Let me ask you a question,” Sokka demanded. “Do you like bartending?”

Zuko thought for a second. “I guess it’s fine. It’s not my dream. Making drinks is fine and it can be fun and all, but doing it here can be a pain in the ass.”

“Then what’s the point of bartending?” Sokka asked.

“Oh, I see,” Zuko sighed. “Whatever pays the bills?”

“Not necessarily,” Sokka said. “If I just wanted to pay the bills, I’d be working any job. I’d be a bartender.”

The two laughed before letting the conversation dwindle for a moment.

“But drag is just,” Sokka began again. “It’s fun. It’s fun for a lot of reasons. I just like it.”

“Why did you become a drag queen?” Zuko pried.

Sokka smiled and took a sip of his drink. “My best friend in high school, Suki, had the greatest makeup. She was really amazing at it. I thought I just had a crush on her, but after we kissed for the first time I realized it was definitely not a crush. But she was really supportive when it came to me coming out. She was even with me when I told my family. I always begged her to teach me how to do makeup like her and when she finally did it just felt so right. I really felt like me for once, you know? But just wearing makeup was one thing. Over time it became so much more than that. Hair, costumes, accessories. I came to realize that I was just too beautiful, talented, and charismatic to confine myself to one gender.”

Sokka paused to take another drink, looking at Zuko who was leaning onto the counter in complete amazement.

“Right when I turned eighteen, I started begging bars to let me perform. I’m from the suburbs like a bit away from the city, so it was a little hard. At first, it was really scary. I was so young and I had no idea what I was doing and I had negative money to spend on drag. But after I did it for a while, I realized how much I love it. And I was bringing in enough tips to get real costumes. Once my sister graduated high school she wanted to move into the city for college, so I came with her to pursue my drag. Now I’m just trying to be the greatest performer possible when it comes to what I do, which includes taking a gig at any place that will hire me.”

Zuko smiled and felt his heart pounding in his chest. It had been a long time since Zuko had sat down and just connected with someone like this. And talking to Sokka just felt so right, like it was supposed to happen.

“Ok, I have to ask,” Zuko giggled. “Buma Rang? How did you come up with that?”

“I always come...back,” Sokka winked and erupted with laughter.

“That’s gross,” Zuko laughed along, hoping this would happen more than once.

Their laughter died down and the two sipped their drinks, smiling at each other with a hint of fondness in their eyes.

“So what about you?” Sokka said after a brief silence.

“What?”

“How did you get into bartending?” he leaned forward, waiting for an answer.

“It’s not as fun as your story,” Zuko prefaced. “I grew up here, but I was a weird, sheltered kid, and I never particularly got along with my family.” Zuko’s hands fumbled at the bottom of his black button-up.

“Like your sister, I went to college here in the city. For chemistry, I really have no idea why. I thought there would be a bigger market for mad scientists but I guess not. I had to wait a long time to come out to my dad, at least until I graduated, because I knew what his reaction would be. He basically said that I can never be part of our family again. But it’s not like I wanted to be anyway. I had to pack up all of my stuff and hope I could find a place to put it all, and he made it very clear that I was not welcome to ask for help. So, I needed a job really fast and the Jasmine Dragon happened to be hiring. I really just took what I could get. I don’t love working here but it’s a job and it’s income and it keeps me alive, so I really can’t complain.”

Sokka reached a hand across the counter, placing it on top of Zuko’s.

“Wow. That’s really...Thank you for telling me all of that. If I had known that, I-I wouldn’t have asked.” Sokka’s face turned red and his eyes filled with sadness.

“No, it’s okay,” Zuko reassured him. “I promise I’m alright. Like, look, if I wasn’t working here then I wouldn’t have seen you perform, and then I wouldn’t have met you.”

Sokka blushed, giving Zuko’s hand a squeeze. Neither of them needed to say anything. They paused a little longer this time, both of them silently finishing their drinks as Zuko found something else to clean.

“Watching you tonight,” Zuko started. “My mind, like, completely blanked. I was watching you and I couldn’t think about anything else it was crazy. You’re just so...I don’t know, hot? Like to watch. I probably sound like an idiot right now but I just needed to talk to you. I don’t know.”

“Well I’m glad you did,” Sokka giggled to himself. “You’re pretty hot yourself.”

Zuko stiffened his arms against the counter, trying to keep himself upright. He started to sweat a little, his body getting warmer and warmer.

“I have to clean the tables,” Zuko mumbled, grabbing frantically for the spray bottle.

“Let me help you,” Sokka stood up.

“No, no,” Zuko said. “It’s like three in the morning. You should go if you need to.”

“Zuko. Let me help,” he grabbed the bartender’s hand again. “Put on some music we can make it fun.”

Zuko chose not to protest. More time with the cute guy and not having to work alone were both pros against no cons. He plugged in his phone to the bar sound system, putting on a classic rock playlist. As he looked up, Sokka started to dance while wiping the tables. He was really cute like this. It was almost jarring the comparison between Sokka and Buma Rang. Zuko walked over and started cleaning, refraining from dancing. 

“Come on!” Sokka bumped Zuko with his hips. “Loosen up a little!”

So Zuko gave in and danced as he cleaned down the tables, and flipped the chairs on top. For the first time in so long, he was just being ridiculous, and Sokka was allowing him to. It barely took them any time at all the clear all of the tables, and once they were done Sokka threw his rag on the ground and kept dancing. Zuko followed suit and danced alongside his new crush to the upbeat songs from decades ago.

Sokka grabbed Zuko’s hands and started dancing with him, spinning the bartender around before pulling him closer. And damn did it feel so right. Both boys were blushing, smiling at each other like shy teenagers. They talked and laughed through a few more songs, all while pulling themselves closer to each other.

Finally, Sokka moved in close enough to kiss Zuko, and once he started neither of them ever wanted to stop. Sokka’s arms wrapped around Zuko’s back. Zuko reached his arms around the taller man’s neck. It was the perfect moment for both of them. When Sokka pulled away after what must have been seven minutes worth of making out, all the two could do was smile at each other.

The pair spent much of the rest of the night dancing and laughing, and of course kissing, with the occasional break to mop or vacuum the floor. As the sun started to rise outside, the two looked at each other with such happiness in their eyes.

“Maybe we should get going,” Zuko said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

“You’re probably right,” Sokka smiled, writing his phone number on a napkin.

Zuko grabbed his keys and Sokka went to get his bag. As Zuko locked the door Sokka took the napkin from his pocket.

“I’m booked to work here tonight, too,” he said handing Zuko his phone number. 

Zuko blushed and smiled up at Sokka for the millionth time that night. They shared another kiss before Zuko promised to call later.

The two walked their separate ways, each of them smiling and giggling to themselves.

For once, Zuko was excited to come into work again.


End file.
